MiddBriefs Community Service and Library Hours

Author: Chelsea Utterback

Cox '07 recognized for community service work

Jessica Cox '07 was awarded this year's Vermont Campus Compact (VCC) TD Banknorth Commitment to Service and Engagement Award on March 29. The award is given for exceptional participation in community service.

Cox contributed to the College and the Middlebury community by organizing Midd-Kidd for a Day, which invites local children to campus, mentored with Community Friends and volunteering at the Addison County Parent Child Centre.

Cox said that she did not "do service work to be recognized," but instead did so for her own fulfillment and because it was one's duty and responsibility to help others. She hoped that the award will "inspire others to get involved and try to change things in whatever way they see fit."

After she graduates in May, Cox will be moving to inner-city Chicago to teach first- and second-graders as a member of the Teach For America corps.

"Inequity in education is our nation's most important issue," said Cox, "and I'm excited for the challenge and the opportunity to do all I can for my students."



Post-9/11 summit to draw international scholars

April 20 marks the commencement of the international conference "Muslims and the State in the Post-9/11 West," organized by Professor of Political Science Erik Bleich. The conference will draw scholars from throughout the West, addressing changes in Muslim life since 9/11 due to laws enacted by the United States.

According to Bleich, the discussion will lead scholars, legislators and students to become "more informed about the viewpoints of politicians and publics." In addition, Bleich said he hoped the conference would "further reflection among Middlebury College students, faculty and staff, as well as among members of the Vermont community who are concerned about these issues."

While Bleich did not wish to send any particular message to the community at large on the subject of the conference, the hope remained that people will be able to take away a new variety of viewpoints and form their own opinions in relation to the new information.





SGA recommends change in library operating hours

The Student Government Association (SGA) passed a bill at its April 15 meeting to extend the library's hours of operation. The proposal, if approved by the administration, would move the New Library's closing hour from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Junior Full-Year Senator Kunihide Suzuki '08 proposed the extended hours because, according to him, students must currently relocate after-hours to places that are "less equipped than the main library."

Atwater Commons Senator John Reed '07.5 also introduced a bill to require intramural teams' schedules to be posted online at least 24 hours ahead of scheduled playing times. According to Reed, players should be able to access the schedule instead of relying on captains to forward schedules at the last minute. The proposition was tabled due to insufficient information on the current rules regarding scheduling.



Corrections

The April 11 article, "College sets $46,910 Middlebury pricetag," mischaracterized the opinion of SGA President Alex Stanton. Stanton believes the rapid rise of tuition to be "alarming and problematic."

The April 11 article, "Xanadu celebrates grand opening" incorrectly reported that the nightclub would start serving alcohol next fall. The club began serving alcohol last week.

The Campus regrets these errors.